Design Rules for Non-Atomic Implementations of PRS

Abstract

Martin Synthesis yields quasi--delay-insensitive (QDI) circuits, expressed in production--rule-set (PRS) form. Under an atomic circuit evaluation model, these circuits are provably correct. However, not all physical circuit implementations provide the atomic transitions needed to satisfy the atomic circuit model. This can cause operational failures in real circuits, as we illustrate. Nonetheless, circuits with non-atomic transitions can faithfully implement the atomic circuit model when combined with a few simple slewtime constraints. To generalize this, we present a non-atomic circuit model, and we prove that any non-atomic circuit satisfying the slewtime constraints implements the atomic circuit model. To synthesize correct physical circuits, therefore, one can use Martin Synthesis assuming atomicity, and then physically implement the resulting circuit using the slewtime constraints as design rules.